A Heartfelt Speech
by gabzelpygeon
Summary: Rayla finds Callum drawing the primal stone after having lost it a couple of weeks ago. He's sad, so she tries to make him feel better.


Rayla couldn't find Callum.

It was late, so she'd left the boys alone for a bit while she checked around the forest, making sure they hadn't left a trail that could be followed. When she came back, she found Ez sound asleep, Zym and Bait snuggled up against him, and Callum nowhere to be found.

"Callum?" She looked around for him, calling his name in a whisper, "Caaallluumm?"

She finally found him near the riverside, sketchbook open on his lap. "Callum!" She called out louder, startling him.

Callum jumped, "Oh, hi Rayla." He relaxed when he saw her hiding behind the brush, chuckling.

"Whu ar'ye doin' all th'way out 'ere for?" Rayla sat down next to him with her legs crossed, "Ye should be sleepin', not drawin'." She gestured to his sketchbook, wanting to see his work.

He complied, placing the book on her lap with care.

"Oh." He was drawing the primal stone... again. "Yer gonna keep drawin' that?" She teased. "Drawing over 'n' over again wull not bring it back ye know?"

Callum snatched back his sketchbook defensively. "I know, I know, I just… I miss it. This… this how I deal with stuff."

Rayla's grin faded when she saw his downcast expression, "Ye miss it?"

Callum slumped, "Yeah."

"Ahm sorry."

"No, no, it's okay." His voice broke, "If I hadn't completely shattered it, Zym could've died, so… It was worth it."

"Bu' still." She added.

He sighed, "But still." Callum looked at his rendition of the primal source with misty eyes. "I just…" He closed the book, wanting to forget he even had it once. "I need it."

"Why?"

"Without it… I'm nothing." He shrugged, looking down at his sketchbook.

Rayla raised an eyebrow, a little irked at his comment, "Whu's that 'ppose tae mean?"

"I mean… Well, you're this awesome, sword-wielding, wall-running, skilled elven assassin."

At his description of her, Rayla's expression turned into a soft smile.

He continued, " Ez can talk to animals, apparently. Who knows where that came from. And as for me, I was the mage . I could cast awesome spells, and zap stuff with lightning, and blow stuff away really hard. But now…"

"Now?"

"Now? Now I'm just a guy. That draws."

"Really well, mind ye."

"Yeah, well, that's not gonna help stop the war."

"Well, ye'r still a prince," Rayla pointed out, trying to make him feel better.

" Step -prince." He pointed out.

Rayla huffed. "A'right, well, yes, maybe ye'r not a useful member o' th'team anymore—"

"Thanks."

" Bu' , ye'r still a great guy."

Callum frowned and turned to Rayla with a skeptical look, then turned back to his book.

"Ye are !" she affirmed.

Callum shook his head.

"Yes, ye'r," She repeated. "Look, ye trusted me , even though by all accounts, ye definitely shouldn't've."

"Oh, so I'm naive. Add that to the list."

"No!" Rayla grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to face her. His eyes were wide with surprise. "I mean, I tried tae kill ye, 'n' ye still thought I deserved a second chance."

Callum shook his head again, "I don't see how—"

Rayla shushed him by putting a finger up to his lips. "That's th' kind o' forgiveness 'n' compassion we'r gonnae need tae fix this. Don't ye see? If more people in th' world were lik' ye, we wouldn't even be doin' this in the first place. Zym would be wi' his mither already. " She returned her hand to his shoulder. "Even though I lied tae ye, ye still believe in whit we're tryin' tae do. Ye believe in me , an elf! Whu ither human has done that?"

"Ez."

"Ye know whu I mean!" She stopped him, slightly irritated.

He laughed. "Yeah, I do. Thanks, Rayla."

"Ye have a good heart, Callum."

He smiled.

"'N' ye'r good at rememberin' things. That's awesome!"

"Ok, Ok, I get it," He chuckled.

"'N' ye'r not nothing." She asserted with a pout.

He nodded and fondly smiled at her.

They stared at each other.

A moment passed when Rayla began to slowly lean closer. Callum didn't notice, his attention had already shifted back to his sketchbook.

Then he felt her lips against his.

His eyes went wide as he tensed up, Rayla responding by softening her grip on his shoulders.

He was still tense when Rayla pushed him away with a panicked expression. There was a stunned silence for a few seconds before Callum broke it. "Uh... Rayla?"

She let go of him. "Sorryahmsorry." She quickly added as she shot to her feet, almost stumbling, with Callum's stunned gaze following her.

"Nonoit'sokay." He tried to comfort her, still confused at what happened.

He stumbled as he stood up to face her, almost dropping his sketchbook.

Embarrassed, Rayla took a step back from him. "A'mgonnaegocheckonEzran sorrysosorry." She practically runs away.

Callum followed her. "Wait! Rayla!"


End file.
